Government Plans Measures to Stimulate Ukrainization

Ukraine’s government is going to expand the scope of use of the Ukrainian language while simultaneously de-Russifying certain areas. The Language Policy Council responsible to the President of Ukraine agreed on a draft Cabinet resolution titled On Additional Measures to Expand the Functioning of Ukrainian as the Official Language, reports Interfax Ukraine.

It is planned that civil servants at all levels will have to undergo certification and their professional level of professional classification will be determined in accordance with the level of their command of Ukrainian and its usage in carrying out their official functions.

Adjustments will also be made within the educational network to conform to the ethnic composition of the local population; the same applies to the television and radio broadcasting companies and channels at the central and regional levels, with all patterns of ownership, operating in keeping with their respective licenses. Programs will be worked out to de-Russify sports, tourism, drama company repertoires (allowing for their respective language status), as well as domestic and foreign concert tours. Tax levers will be pulled, affecting the inflow of printed matter from abroad.